It had been three months since the shooting. I had finished school, with almost no memory of the last months. My graduation was a blur, because without Harry it was meaningless. It was as though my body attended school, yet my mind didn’t. I didn’t speak and I no longer cared about my grades. All I did at home was sleep, and at 2am when I woke, all alone, with my bed cold, I would think about him and cries of desperation would leave my mind absentmindedly because I felt I was living a nightmare and I wanted to wake myself up. It didn’t seem real. When I slept, I would escape it all, just for a while. My mind never stopped screaming at me, but my voice silent forgot how to talk. I had a heavy fog that lay over me, refusing to budge. Harry hadn’t attended school since that fateful day. I hadn’t seen his lights ever flick on in his house. The structure, once again became home to no one, a ghost house. Our neighbourhood wasn’t big but I hadn’t seen him once. He was gone. In every way, he was no longer a part of my life and nothing would bring him back.

I put on my coat and exited out the door, for a walk. It hadn’t occurred to me that it was snowing, because I no longer felt the icy chill. I entered the supermarket to pick something up for dinner. Spaghetti would do tonight. I placed the items on the check out, not once looking up.

“Lucy” I heard a voice say from the checkout.

I looked up and saw a face smiling back at me. He had rough golden hair that flowed over his face. His eyes were a beautiful greeny turquoise and his teeth were a perfect white. I smiled at him. Who was this boy? Oh forget it, it was no use. He wasn’t Harry and that was all that mattered.

“I am really sorry, I probably sound really silly, but do I know you?” I said apologetically trying not to sound rude, a half but forced smile appearing on my face.

His smile disappeared into a half smirk as he tried to hide his disappointment. “It’s all good. Matt” He placed his hand out to mine to shake it. “I was in your math and English class. I came in the last 3 months because mum had to change jobs and I had to finish my education, as silly as that sounds” he laughed.

I instantly felt the heat rising up my cheeks. Was I that removed from my life that I hadn’t even noticed a boy in my class? Our school was barely big. There were only 70 students in my grade and I knew every name. “I am so sorry Matt. Of course I remember you. I just wasn’t focusing.” I lied, too embarrassed to reveal the truth.

“All good” he said smiling as I handed him my money. “We should hang out sometime he said” passing me my change. “What are you doing this Friday?”

I wasn’t in the mood to be social, but Matt seemed like a nice guy and Harry was gone now. I had to move on.

“Friday sounds good” I smiled. I gave him my number and continued on my way home to make dinner for mum.

After dinner, I cleaned the mess before going upstairs and running myself a bath. I was laying and letting the heat soak into my skin when my phone buzzed. I hadn’t had many messages in months besides those exchanged with my mum. It was a number that I didn’t have saved in my phone.

I will pick you up for dinner on Friday. How does 5pm sound? Matt xx. I quickly swiped my fingers on the screen and replied.

Sounds good, seen you then! Lucy x before shutting off my phone and relaxing my body into the steaming hot water.